The two critically injured daughters of Chowdhary were shifted to a hospital where they were undergoing treatment, added the police official.

"Our people are being literally butchered and treated as mere objects who can be mortar-shelled at anytime", he said. "They are specifically targeting civilian areas", he said.

Officials said the Pakistani army had resorted to heavy shelling around 7.45am on Sunday in the Balakote sector.

A police official said heavy shelling was now underway and the Army troops were retaliating appropriately. "Due to shelling from across in Balakote sector of Poonch, five civilians lost their lives". She termed the incident as "heart wrenching" and said that it caused a wave of shock among the people of the state. The Minister has instructed the Deputy Commissioner Poonch to ensure that all possible precautionary measures are taken to ensure safety and security of the people living in the border areas and to provide medical assistance to the injured. "Helicopters have been sent to retrieve the injured for specialised treatment in Jammu", Jamwal told ANI.